Vehicle entertainment tablet unit and cradle

ABSTRACT

A vehicle entertainment system includes a tablet unit and a cradle. The tablet unit includes a display and a touch screen input device disposed on a front surface, a first electrical connection, a first mounting mechanism, and a wireless receiver. The wireless receiver is configured to receive media data from a wireless network and the touch screen input device is configured to receive input from a user. The cradle is disposed in a headrest in a vehicle and includes a second electrical connection and a second mounting mechanism. The tablet unit is electrically connected to the cradle via the first and second electrical connections, and is physically coupled to the cradle via the first and second mounting mechanisms upon mounting the tablet unit to the cradle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation application of U.S. application Ser.No. 14/605,101, filed on Jan. 26, 2015, which is a ContinuationApplication of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/340,946, filed on Dec. 30,2011, which is a Continuation-in-Part Application of U.S. applicationSer. No. 12/851,433, filed on Aug. 5, 2010, which is aContinuation-in-Part Application of U.S. application Ser. No.12/570,517, filed on Sep. 30, 2009, which is a Continuation-in-PartApplication of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/619,240, filed on Jan. 3,2007, which claims priority to and the benefit of ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 60/756,070, filed on Jan. 4, 2006, the contents ofwhich are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle entertainment tablet unit,and more particularly to a vehicle entertainment tablet unit configuredto be mounted in a cradle in a vehicle.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

As society becomes more mobile and spends a greater amount of timetraveling and away from home, demand rises for electronic devices thatcan be used outside the home environment. Tablet computers including alarge display screen and a touch screen interface, such as the Apple®iPad®, are becoming more prevalent in today's society due to the ease inwhich they can be used in a mobile environment. However, using a tabletcomputer in a vehicle may be cumbersome. For example, it may be tiresometo hold a tablet while in a vehicle during a long trip. Further, it maybe impracticable for more than one person to simultaneously view content(e.g., movies, television shows, Internet content) on a tablet, or sharedata and content between multiple tablets while traveling in a vehicle.It may also be impracticable to charge the tablet during use whiletraveling in a vehicle.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, avehicle entertainment system includes a tablet unit and a cradle. Thetablet unit includes a display and a touch screen input device disposedon a front surface, a first electrical connection, a first mountingmechanism, and a wireless receiver. The wireless receiver is configuredto receive media data from a wireless network and the touch screen inputdevice is configured to receive input from a user. The cradle isdisposed in a headrest in a vehicle and includes a second electricalconnection and a second mounting mechanism. The tablet unit iselectrically connected to the cradle via the first and second electricalconnections, and is physically coupled to the cradle via the first andsecond mounting mechanisms upon mounting the tablet unit to the cradle.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a cradlefor a tablet unit is mounted in a vehicle and includes a rear surface, alip, and a connection port. The lip extends outward from the rearsurface, and the connection port is disposed on the lip. A depth of thecradle is defined by a distance between the rear surface and a portionof the lip furthest from the rear surface, and is between about 0.25inches and about 0.6 inches. The connection port is configured tomatingly receive a connector of a tablet unit and supply power to thetablet unit.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, avehicle entertainment system includes a media control box disposed in avehicle, a tablet unit, a cradle, and a display mounted in the vehicle.The media control box includes a storage device configured to storemedia data, and a wireless transmitter configured to transmit the mediadata. The tablet unit includes a display disposed on a front surface, awireless receiver, a first electrical connection, and a first mountingmechanism. The cradle is disposed in the vehicle and includes a secondelectrical connection and a second mounting mechanism. The tablet unitis electrically connected to the cradle via the first and secondelectrical connections, and is physically coupled to the cradle via thefirst and second mounting mechanisms upon mounting the tablet unit tothe cradle. The display is mounted within the vehicle and includes awireless receiver. The wireless receiver of the tablet unit and thewireless receiver of the display are configured to receive the mediadata transmitted by the media control box via a WI-FI DIRECT connection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features of the present disclosure will become moreapparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A shows a front view of a vehicle entertainment tablet unit,according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram showing the components of a vehicleentertainment tablet unit, according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIGS. 2A-2D show a vehicle entertainment tablet unit, and a cradlemounted within a headrest of a seat in a vehicle and configured toreceive the vehicle entertainment tablet unit, according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a cradle mounted to a headrest in avehicle, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a cradle including a hinge mechanism, accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 shows a cradle mounted in an overhead position in a vehicle andconfigured to receive a vehicle entertainment tablet unit, according toan exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 shows a cradle mounted within a seat back of a seat in a vehicleand configured to receive a vehicle entertainment tablet unit, accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7A shows a cradle mounted in a headrest of a seat in a vehicle,according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7B shows a cradle mounted in the back of a seat in a vehicle,according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 shows a power wire and a data wire connecting to a cradle in aheadrest in a vehicle, according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the components of a media control box,according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure now will be describedmore fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. Thisdisclosure, may however, be embodied in many different forms and shouldnot be construed as limited to embodiments set forth herein.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a vehicleentertainment tablet unit for a vehicle. For example, the vehicleentertainment tablet unit may include a display screen mounted in avehicle, such as an automobile, minivan or sport utility vehicle (SUV).The vehicle entertainment tablet unit may receive an Internetconnection, provide a wireless connection to wireless enabled devices inand around the vehicle, and transmit and receive multimedia content fromwireless enabled devices in and around the vehicle.

FIG. 1A shows a front view of a vehicle entertainment tablet unit,according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 1B is a block diagram showingthe components of the vehicle entertainment tablet unit, according to anexemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1A, a vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 mayinclude at least one control button 101 and a variety of connectionports 102. The control button(s) 101 and the connection ports 102 may bedisposed at any location on the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100.For example, the control button(s) 101 and connection ports 102 may bedisposed on a side of the unit 100, on a front surface of the unit 100,or on a back surface of the unit 100. At least one of the controlbuttons 101 may also be embodied as a switch, or any other physicaldevice capable of passing input to the vehicle entertainment tablet unit100. The vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 may be controlled using acombination of the control button(s) 101 and a touch screen inputdevice. The control button(s) 101 may function as an on/off switch,and/or may be used to perform a variety of other functions on thevehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 such as, for example, accessing amenu on the unit 100, waking the unit 100, or turning off the display onthe unit 100. The connection ports 102 may include, but are not limitedto, a USB port (e.g., a microUSB port or a mini-USB port), an HDMI port(e.g., a micro-HDMI port), an SD card slot (e.g., a micro-SD card slot,a mini-SD card slot, or a standard SD card slot), and/or an Ethernetport. The vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 may further include abattery supplying power to the unit 100. In an exemplary embodiment, thevehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 may function as a media playercapable of presenting video and/or audio programs to a user. In anexemplary embodiment, the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 mayinclude additional features, functions, and options.

Referring to FIG. 1B, the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 mayinclude, for example, a processor 103 (e.g., a single core or multi-coreprocessor), a memory 104 (e.g., RAM), a graphics processing unit (GPU)105, a storage device 106 (e.g., flash memory), a global positioningsystem (GPS) radio 107, a display 108, a touch screen input device 109,a wireless transmitter 110, a wireless receiver 111, and/or a speaker112. The display 108 may be, for example, a TFT-LCD display, and may bea variety of sizes (e.g., between about 5 inches and about 15 inches).The touch screen input device 109 is an electronic visual display thatallows for the detection of touches within a display area. The locationof the touch screen input device 109 corresponds to the location of thedisplay 108 on the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100, and may beused to detect touches made by, for example, a finger, a hand, or astylus. The touch screen input device 109 may be, for example, acapacitive touch screen panel or a resistive touch screen panel, howeverthe touch screen input device 109 is not limited thereto. The touchscreen input device 109 may be used to present a variety of input meansto a user to allow the user to enter input to the vehicle entertainmenttablet unit 100. For example, software on the vehicle entertainmenttablet unit 100 may be used to present a virtual keyboard or keypad to auser, allowing for the input of text and numbers, and/or may accepttouch gestures that perform various functions on the unit 100. The unit100 may run various operating systems such as, for example, the Android™operating system. The wireless transmitter 110 and receiver 111 mayutilize a variety of wireless transmission standards including, but notlimited to, cellular, BLUETOOTH, radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR), or802.11 (e.g., 802.11a/b/g/n) transmission standards. The vehicleentertainment tablet unit 100 may include multiple wireless receiversand transmitters, which allows the unit 100 to utilize a variety ofwireless transmission standards.

Wireless enabled devices may include, but are not limited to, a cellularphone (e.g., a smartphone), a tablet computer, a laptop, an mp3 player,a gaming system, or a personal digital assistant (PDA).

The vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 may be positioned in anynumber of locations in a vehicle. For example, the vehicle entertainmenttablet unit 100 may be mounted to a seat in a vehicle, within a headrestof a seat in a vehicle, positioned overhead in a vehicle, mounted in thedashboard or center console of a vehicle, or in any other convenientlocation of a vehicle. The unit 100 may be detachably or fixedly mountedat any of these locations. The mounting of the vehicle entertainmenttablet unit 100 is described in more detail below with reference toFIGS. 2A-2D, 3-4, and 7A-7B.

The vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 provides functions similar totablet computers such as, for example, the Apple® iPad®. For example, auser may use the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 to access theInternet, view video content such as movies or television shows, orlisten to audio content such as music or podcasts. Depending on theoperating system installed on the vehicle entertainment unit 100, a usermay also have access to an application store such as, for example, theAndroid™ Market, allowing the user to utilize a variety of applicationson the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100.

In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100may function as a hotspot. For example, the vehicle entertainment tabletunit 100 may establish an Internet connection using the wirelessreceiver 111 via a Third Generation (3G) or Fourth Generation (4G)cellular network such as, for example, a High Speed Packet Access (HSPA)network, an Evolved High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA+) network, a LongTerm Evolution (LTE) network, or a Worldwide Interoperability forMicrowave Access (WiMAX) network. The Internet connection established bythe wireless receiver 111 may then be shared with the wirelesstransmitter 110, which may assign an Internet Protocol (IP) address toeach of the wireless enabled devices in and around the vehicle. The IPaddresses may be assigned to the wireless enabled devices using, forexample, an 802.11 transmission standard (e.g., 802.11a/b/g/n). Theassignment of IP addresses to the wireless enabled devices by thewireless transmitter 110 allows the vehicle entertainment tablet unit100 to function as a hotspot by creating an Internet-enabled wirelesslocal area network (e.g., a Wi-Fi network) in and around the vehicle.

Exemplary embodiments may include a single wireless receiver 111 ormultiple wireless receivers, which enables the connection to varioustypes of cellular networks (e.g., a first wireless receiver may connectto a 3G network and a second wireless receiver may connect to a 4Gnetwork). Further, exemplary embodiments may include a single wirelesstransmitter 110 or multiple wireless transmitters. Multiple wirelesstransmitters may be utilized to provide separate wireless local areanetworks. The utilization of separate wireless local area networksallows for a greater coverage area of the hotspot. For example, largervehicles such as, for example, buses, trains and airplanes may implementadditional wireless transmitters to expand the coverage area of ahotspot. Providing separate wireless local area networks also results inthe availability of additional bandwidth which can be used to provideInternet access to a large number of wireless enabled devices. Further,separate wireless local area networks may be utilized to offerconnections of varying security/access levels for different groups ofusers.

The inclusion of the wireless receiver 111 and the ability of thevehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 to be mounted in a cradle in avehicle allows the unit 100 to function as a stand-alone vehicleentertainment device. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, thevehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 receives media content using thewireless receiver 111 via a wireless network (e.g., a cellular network),and displays the received media content without interfacing with anyother devices in the vehicle. Alternatively, in an exemplary embodiment,the vehicle entertainment tablet unit may receive media content via amedia box disposed within the vehicle, as discussed with reference toFIG. 9.

The wireless local area network provided by the wireless transmitter 110may utilize an 802.11 transmission standard (e.g., 802.11a/b/g/n).Various security techniques may be utilized to provide a secure wirelesslocal area network. For example, the wireless local area network mayimplement Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) security, Wi-Fi ProtectedAccess (WPA, WPA2) security, MAC address filtering, port filtering, andthe ability to disable Service Set Identifier (SSID) broadcasting. Thesesecurity settings can be accessed by a user via a user interface, whichmay be accessible via the display 108 of the vehicle entertainmenttablet unit 100, or a wireless enabled device connected to the wirelesslocal area network.

In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle entertainment tablet 100 unitmay receive an Internet connection via another device functioning as ahotspot.

The vehicle entertainment tablet unit may include at least one speaker112 for outputting audio. Additional speaker(s) may also be locatedseparate from the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100, and may beconnected to the unit 100 via an electrical or wireless connection suchas, for example, a BLUETOOTH, radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR), or802.11 (e.g., 802.11a/b/g/n) wireless connection.

The GPS radio 107 of the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 may allowthe vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 to function as a navigationdevice. For example, the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 mayprovide services such as, for example, location-based searching andturn-by-turn navigation by utilizing the GPS radio 107, a dataconnection, and software installed on the vehicle entertainment tabletunit 100.

A wired or wireless controller 113 may be used to control the vehicleentertainment tablet unit 100. The controller 113 may control allfunctions of the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 including, forexample, multimedia functions and Internet functions. A wirelesscontroller may utilize software installed on the vehicle entertainmenttablet unit 100, and may communicate with the vehicle entertainmenttablet unit 100 using, for example, BLUETOOTH, radio frequency (RF),infrared (IR), or 802.11 (e.g., 802.11a/b/g/n) transmission standards. Awired controller may connect to the vehicle entertainment tablet unit100 via one of the connection ports (e.g., a USB port) on the unit 100.

In an exemplary embodiment, a video camera 114 and/or a microphone 115may be connected to the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100. The videocamera 114 and/or microphone 115 may be disposed on the vehicleentertainment tablet unit 100 or may be located separate from the unit100 and connected to the unit 100 via a wired or wireless connectionsuch as, for example, a radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR), BLUETOOTH,or 802.11 (e.g., 802.11a/b/g/n) connection. The video camera 114 andmicrophone 115 can be utilized with the speaker(s) 112 under control ofthe processor 103, and when connected to the Internet, may provide Voiceover IP (VOIP) and videoconferencing functionality.

The video camera 114, microphone 115 and/or speaker(s) 112 may bepositioned together or separately, and can be positioned in any numberof locations in a vehicle. For example, the video camera 114, microphone115, and/or speaker(s) 112 may be integrated with the vehicleentertainment tablet unit 100 or may be located separate from the unit100, or may be mounted in a seat, headrest, overhead, dashboard orcenter console of the vehicle, or in any other convenient location ofthe vehicle. In addition to videoconferencing functionality, the videocamera 114 and microphone 115 may be used to record and store video datain the storage device 106 of the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100.A video camera 114 disposed in a rear seat may also be utilized by adriver or a passenger in another seat to monitor a child sitting withinthe field of view of the video camera 114. This monitoring may be donevia a vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 in the vehicle, a display,or a wireless enabled device connected to the local area network.

The wired or wireless controller 113 may be used to control functions ofthe video camera 114, microphone 115, and/or speaker(s) 112. Forexample, the controller 113 can be used to enter and exit VOIP orvideoconferencing mode, enable the video camera 114, microphone 115,and/or speaker(s) 112, control the volume of the speaker(s) 112, disablethe video camera 114, microphone 115, and/or speaker(s) 112, or changerecording options of the video camera 114 and/or microphone 115.

In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100may communicate with a plurality of video cameras, microphones, and/orspeakers, and functions of each video camera, microphone, and/or speakermay be controlled by the same controller or a separate controller. Thevideo cameras, microphones, and/or speakers may further be controlled bythe wireless enabled devices connected to the wireless local areanetwork using, for example, software installed on the wireless enableddevices.

In an exemplary embodiment, a media source 116 may be connected to thevehicle entertainment tablet unit 100. The media source 116 may be partof the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100, may be located within acradle configured to receive the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100,or may be located separate from the vehicle entertainment tablet unit100 and the cradle. The media source 116 may be connected via aconnection port 102 on the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100, orwirelessly via, for example, a BLUETOOTH, radio frequency (RF), infrared(IR), or 802.11 (e.g., 802.11 a/b/g/n) connection. The media source 116may be, for example, a DVD player, a CD-ROM player, a video game player,a videocassette player, a television tuner, a radio tuner, an MP3player, a digital video recorder (DVR), and/or a device for playingmedia supplied from a portable storage device (e.g., a portable harddrive, memory cards, flash memory sticks, key drives, thumb drives).

Audio and video signals may be transmitted from the vehicleentertainment tablet unit 100 to other displays and/or speaker(s)located within the vehicle, receivers connected to a vehicle radio,wireless headphones, or wireless enabled devices connected to thewireless local area network. The audio and video signals may betransmitted wirelessly by the wireless transmitter 110 using, forexample, radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR), BLUETOOTH, or 802.11(e.g., 802.11a/b/g/n) transmission standards.

The vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 may be detachably or fixedlymounted to a cradle in a vehicle, which may be positioned in a varietyof locations within the vehicle. For example, a cradle configured toreceive and secure the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 may bemounted within a headrest of a seat in a vehicle, within a seat back ofa seat in a vehicle, in an overhead position within a vehicle, or in anyother convenient location of a vehicle.

FIGS. 2A-2D show a vehicle entertainment unit, and a cradle mountedwithin a headrest of a seat in a vehicle and configured to receive thevehicle entertainment unit.

FIG. 2A shows a cradle 201 disposed in a headrest 202 of a seat in avehicle, and shaped and dimensioned to receive the vehicle entertainmenttablet unit 100, according to an exemplary embodiment. The cradle 201may include an electrical connection 203 that can be used toelectrically couple the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 to thecradle 201. The electrical connection 203 may be, for example, aplurality of electrical contacts or a pin connector. The cradle 201 maybe electrically connected to a power source in the vehicle, and theelectrical connection 203 in the cradle 201 may be utilized to supplypower to the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 when docked. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 8, the cradle 201 may be connected to avehicle power source via a power wire(s) 801 connecting to theelectrical connection 203 in the cradle 201 and passing through aheadrest post 802 and the seat 803. The power wire(s) 801 may passthrough a single headrest post 802 or multiple headrest posts 802. Whenmultiple cradles are present in a vehicle, a data wire(s) 804 mayconnect the electrical connections in the cradles to each other, and mayfacilitate the transmission of data between docked vehicle entertainmenttablet units. The data wire(s) 804 may pass through a single headrestpost 802 of the same seat 803 or multiple headrest posts 802 of the sameseat 803.

The cradle 201 may further include a hinge mechanism allowing thevehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 to be pivoted in vertical and/orhorizontal directions, and a mounting mechanism configured to allow thevehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 to be detachably removed from thecradle 201 in an exemplary embodiment. The hinge mechanism is describedin more detail with reference to FIG. 4. The mounting mechanism may be,for example, a quick release mount mechanism, and may utilize a varietyof selectively releasable coupling structures. For example, as shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B, the mounting mechanism may include a release button 204disposed on a surface of the headrest 202 and a latch member 205disposed on a rear surface 209 of the cradle 201. The release button 204is actuated to rotate the latch member 205 and permit removal of thevehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 from the cradle 201. Insertion ofthe vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 within the headrest 202 isachieved by setting the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 within thecradle 201 and applying sufficient force to the vehicle entertainmenttablet unit 100 for overcoming the rotational force of the latch member205 to force the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 into a secureposition.

FIG. 2B shows a rear surface 206 of the vehicle entertainment tabletunit 100, which is configured to be mounted within the cradle 201 shownin FIG. 2A, according to an exemplary embodiment. In FIG. 2B, thevehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 includes a cooperating electricalconnection 207 configured to be electrically coupled to the electricalconnection 203 of the cradle 201, and a cooperating mounting mechanism208 configured to be coupled to the latch member 205 of the cradle 201.In an exemplary embodiment, optional covers 210, 211 may be included tocover the cooperating electrical connection 207 and the mountingmechanism 208 of the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 when the unit100 is not coupled to the cradle.

In an exemplary embodiment, the mounting mechanism on the cradle 201 mayinclude a recess 212 and a latch member 213, as shown in FIG. 2C. Therecess 212 and latch member 213 may have a variety of shapes, and may bedisposed on the cradle 201 in a variety of locations. For example, inthe exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2C, the recess 212 is disposed ona first lip 214 of the cradle 201 and the latch member 213 is disposedon a second lip 215 of the cradle, which opposes the first lip 214. Theelectrical connection 203 of the cradle is disposed on the first lip214. A depth of the cradle 201 may be defined by the distance betweenthe rear surface 209 of the cradle 201 and the outermost portion of thelips 214, 215 of the cradle 201. Due to the thinness of the vehicleentertainment tablet unit 100, the depth of the cradle 201 may bebetween about 0.25 inches and about 0.6 inches, however the depth is notlimited thereto. The mounting mechanism on the vehicle entertainmenttablet unit 100 may include a tab 216 disposed on a first edge 217 ofthe unit 100 and a coupling member (not shown) disposed on a second edge(not shown) of the unit 100, which opposes the first edge 217. Uponmounting the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 into the cradle 201,the tab 216 is inserted into the recess 212, and the coupling member onthe second edge of the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 engages thelatch member 213 of the cradle 201, locking the unit 100 into place. Theelectrical connection 207 of the unit 100 is electrically coupled to theelectrical connection 203 of the cradle 201 upon mounting. The vehicleentertainment tablet unit 100 may be fixedly or removably mounted to thecradle 201. When the unit 100 is removably mounted, a portion of thelatch member 213 on the cradle 201 may be exposed, allowing a user toremove the unit 100 from the cradle 201 by actuating the latch member213. When mounted, the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 may besubstantially flush with the outer surface of the headrest 202.

The mounting mechanisms and electrical connections shown in FIGS. 2A-2Dmay be disposed in a variety of locations. For example, in FIGS. 2A-2B,the release button 204 may be disposed in any area of the headrest 202,the latch member 205 and electrical connection 203 may be disposed inany area of the rear surface 209 of the cradle 201, and the cooperatingmounting mechanism 208 and electrical connection 207 of the vehicleentertainment tablet unit 100 may be disposed in any corresponding areaof the rear surface 206 of the unit 100. In FIGS. 2C-2D, the recess 212and electrical connection 203 may be disposed in any area of any lip ofthe cradle 201, the latch member 213 may be disposed in any area of anopposing lip of the cradle 201, the tab 216 and electrical connection207 of the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 may be disposed in anycorresponding area of any edge of the unit 100, and the coupling member(not shown) of the unit 100 may be disposed on an opposing edge of theunit 100. Alternatively, the electrical connection 203 may be disposedon the same lip as the latch member 213, and the electrical connection207 may be disposed on the same edge as the coupling member (not shown).

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a cradle mounted within a headrest.

As shown in FIG. 3, the cradle 201 is secured to the headrest 202. In anexemplary embodiment, the cradle 201 may be secured to an internalheadrest support structure 301 of the headrest 202 using, for example, afastener 302, screw, nail, or adhesive, however the method of securingthe cradle 201 to the headrest 202 is not limited thereto. The cradle201 includes a receiving portion 303 shaped and dimensioned to receivethe vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100. Due to the thinness of thevehicle entertainment tablet unit 100, the depth of the receivingportion 303 may be between about 0.25 inches and about 0.6 inches,however the depth is not limited thereto.

In an exemplary embodiment, the cradle 201 may include a hinge mechanism401 that permits the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 to be pivotedin vertical and/or horizontal directions, as shown in FIG. 4. Forexample, in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the cradle 201includes a base portion 402, a receiving portion 403, and a hingemechanism 401 connecting the receiving portion 403 to the base portion402. The base portion 402 may be secured to an internal headrest supportstructure 301 of a headrest 202 as described with reference to FIG. 3,and the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 may be secured into thereceiving portion 403 as described with reference to FIGS. 2A-2D (e.g.,the receiving portion 403 may include an electrical connection 203 and amounting mechanism such as latch members 205 and 213 and/or recess 212).The receiving portion 403 may be electrically connected to the baseportion 402 via a wire 404 connecting the two portions. The hingemechanism 401 permits the receiving portion 403 to pivot with respect tothe base portion 402 in horizontal and/or vertical directions, allowingfor the adjustment of the viewing angle of the vehicle entertainmenttablet unit 100 when mounted. The hinge mechanism 401 may be a ball-likemechanism located near the center of the cradle 201 and permitting thereceiving portion 403 to pivot about a number of axes, as shown in FIG.4, however the shape and location of the hinge mechanism 401 is notlimited thereto.

FIG. 5 shows a cradle 501 disposed in an overhead position andconfigured to receive the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100,according to an exemplary embodiment. The cradle 501 is attached to theceiling 502 of a vehicle. The cradle 501 may be recessed within theceiling 502, or may extend below the ceiling 502, as shown in FIG. 5.Due to the thinness of the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100, thecradle 501 may have a thin profile. For example, the cradle 501 may havea thickness between about 0.25 inches and about 0.6 inches, however thethickness is not limited thereto. The cradle 501 may include a receivingportion 503 configured to detachably or fixedly receive the vehicleentertainment tablet unit 100 in a manner similar to the one describedwith reference to FIGS. 2A-2D. For example, the receiving portion 503may include an electrical connection that can be used to electricallycouple the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 to the receivingportion 503 of the cradle 501. The electrical connection may be, forexample, a plurality of electrical contacts or a pin connector. Thecradle 501 may further include a hinge mechanism 505 allowing thevehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 to be pivoted into the baseportion 504 of the cradle 501 when the vehicle entertainment tablet 100unit is mounted and not in use. The hinge mechanism 505 may be locatedin an upper area of the receiving portion 503 of the cradle 501. Thereceiving portion 503 may include an additional hinge mechanismpermitting the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100 to be pivoted in avertical and/or horizontal direction, allowing for further adjustment ofthe viewing angle of the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100. Forexample, in an exemplary embodiment, the receiving portion 503 mayinclude the base portion 402, the receiving portion 403, and the hingemechanism 401 described with reference to FIG. 4. The cradle 501 mayfurther include a mounting mechanism configured to allow the vehicleentertainment tablet unit 100 to be detachably mounted to and removedfrom the cradle 501. The mounting mechanism may be, for example, a quickrelease mount mechanism, and may utilize a variety of selectivelyreleasable coupling structures. For example, the mounting mechanismsdescribed with reference to FIGS. 2A-2D may be utilized.

FIG. 6 shows a cradle 601 disposed on a seat back 602 of a seat 603 in avehicle, and configured to receive the vehicle entertainment tablet unit100, according to an exemplary embodiment. The vehicle entertainmenttablet unit 100 may slide vertically into the cradle 601, or maypivotally attach to the cradle 601 such that it is rotated between adisplay position and a storage position. The vehicle entertainmenttablet unit 100 may be pivotally attached to the cradle 601 using ahinge mechanism operating in a manner similar to the hinge mechanism 505described with reference to FIG. 5. The cradle 601 may be recessedwithin the seat back 602, or may extend from the seat back 602, as shownin FIG. 6. In an exemplary embodiment, the cradle 601 may be embeddedinto a seat mold that is designed to replace the existing backseat moldof a seat in a vehicle. Due to the thin nature of the vehicleentertainment tablet unit 100, the cradle 601 may have a thin profile.For example, the cradle 601 may have a thickness between about 0.25inches and about 0.6 inches, however the thickness is not limitedthereto. The cradle 601 may include an electrical connection andmounting mechanisms similar to those described with reference to FIGS.2A-2D.

In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100may function as a multimedia sharing unit. For example, once connectedto the wireless local area network, wireless enabled devices may accessmultimedia data stored on the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100.This multimedia data may include, for example, movies, television shows,music and pictures, and may include both real-time and non-real-timecontent. Connected wireless enabled devices may access multimedia datastored in the storage device 106 of the vehicle entertainment tabletunit 100 while the wireless enabled devices are connected to theInternet or while the wireless enabled devices are not connected to theInternet. Connected wireless enabled devices may also transmit andreceive data to and from each other while connected to the wirelesslocal area network provided by the vehicle entertainment tablet unit100.

In an exemplary embodiment, multiple vehicle entertainment tablet units100 may be mounted in a vehicle. When multiple vehicle entertainmenttablet units 100 are present in a vehicle, one of the units 100 mayfunction as a multimedia sharing unit, or multiple vehicle entertainmenttablet units 100 may function as multimedia sharing units, allowingmedia content to be shared freely between all of the units 100, as wellas wireless enabled devices present in and around the vehicle. Thevehicle entertainment tablet units 100 and the wireless enabled devicesmay communicate with each other once connected to the same local areanetwork, as described above. In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicleentertainment tablet units 100 and wireless enabled devices maycommunicate with each other using BLUETOOTH or WI-FI DIRECT transmissionstandards. WI-FI DIRECT allows the vehicle entertainment tablet units100 and wireless enabled devices to wirelessly communicate with eachother without connecting to a local area network via a hotspot. Displaysincluding a Wi-Fi radio and utilizing WI-FI DIRECT may also be mountedin the vehicle and may communicate with the vehicle entertainment tabletunit(s) 100 and/or wireless enabled devices. The displays may be mountedat the same locations and in the same manner as the vehicleentertainment tablet units 100 as described above.

In an exemplary embodiment, a cradle configured to receive a variety ofdifferent tablet units made by different manufacturers may be disposedwithin a vehicle. For example, the cradle may be a universal cradleconfigured to receive tablet units such as the Apple® iPad®, or varioustablet units running different operating systems such as, for example,the Android™ operating system. The cradle may be disposed in a varietyof locations such as, for example, in a seat in a vehicle, within aheadrest of a seat in a vehicle, positioned overhead in a vehicle, ormounted in the dashboard or center console of a vehicle. For example,FIG. 7A shows an exemplary embodiment of a cradle mounted in theheadrest of a seat in a vehicle, and FIG. 7B shows an exemplaryembodiment of a cradle mounted in the back of a seat in a vehicle.

Referring to FIG. 7A, a cradle 700 is mounted within a headrest 701 in avehicle. The cradle 700 includes a rear surface 702 and lips 703extending outward from the rear surface 701. A depth of the cradle 700may be defined by the distance between the rear surface 702 and theoutermost portion of the lips 703. Due to the thinness of most tabletunits, the depth of the cradle 700 may be between about 0.25 inches andabout 0.6 inches, however the depth is not limited thereto. A connectionport 704 is disposed on a door 705 on a lip 703 of the cradle 700. Theconnection port 704 is designed to matingly receive a connector of atablet unit, and may supply power and transmit and receive data to andfrom the tablet unit, as described above with reference to FIGS. 2A-2Dand 8.

In an exemplary embodiment, the cradle 700 may include a singleconnection port 704. Alternatively, in an exemplary embodiment, multipleconnection ports 704 may be disposed on different lips 703 of the cradle700, as shown in FIG. 7A, allowing the tablet unit to be mounted to thecradle 700 in a landscape orientation or in a portrait orientation, andallowing for the mounting of different tablet units having connectorslocated in different locations. Each door 705 may be spring-loaded,allowing an unused connection port 704 to be stored beneath the surfaceof the lip 703 when not in use. For example, pressing a spring-loadeddoor 705 once may lock the door 705 beneath the surface of a lip 703when the connection port 704 is not in use, and pressing the door 705again may unlock the door 705, extending the door 705 from the surfaceof the lip 703 and allowing for the connection of tablet unit to theconnection port 704 via the tablet unit's connector. The connection port704 may include a variety of connection types adapted to connect todifferent tablet units such as, for example, a USB port (e.g., amicroUSB port or a mini-USB port) or other proprietary connection typessuch as a 30-pin connector compatible with the Apple® iPad®. Theconnection port 704 may also be used to matingly receive other mobiledevices such as, for example a smartphone.

Each door 705 may include a hinge 706 permitting the door 705 to pivotaway from the lip 703 and towards the user. For example, when pivotedaway from the lip 703, the door 705 may be substantially parallel to therear surface 702 of the cradle 700. Pivoting the door 705 away from thelip 703 allows the connector of a tablet unit to be connected to theconnection port 704 on the door 705. Once the tablet unit is attached tothe cradle via the connection port 704, the door 705 may be pivoted backtowards the lip 703, resulting in the tablet unit being disposed withinthe cradle 700. In an exemplary embodiment, a latch member 707 may bedisposed on a lip 703 opposing the connection port 704, and may beutilized to secure the mounted tablet unit in the cradle 700. Forexample, the latch member 707 may be a door that pivots away from thelip 703 to allow the tablet unit to be accepted into the cradle 700, andtowards the lip 703 once the tablet unit is in the cradle 700 to cover aportion of the tablet unit and secure the tablet unit in the cradle 700.The latch member 707 may utilize a hinge similar to the hinge 706 of thedoor 705 including the connection port 704 to pivot towards and awayfrom the lip 703.

The location of the cradle 700 described with reference to FIG. 7A isnot limited to a headrest of a vehicle. For example, the cradle 700 maybe positioned overhead in a vehicle (e.g., on the receiving portion 503of the cradle 501 shown in FIG. 5), in a seat back of a seat in avehicle, or mounted in the dashboard or center console of a vehicle.

In FIG. 7B, a cradle 710 is disposed on a seat back 711 of a seat 712 ina vehicle, and is configured to receive a variety of tablet units suchas, for example, the Apple® iPad®, or various tablet units runningdifferent operating systems such as the Android™ operating system. Thecradle 710 may include a connection port 713 disposed on a lower lip 714of the cradle 710. The connection port 713 may include a variety ofconnection types adapted to connect to different tablet units such as,for example, a USB port (e.g., a microUSB port or a mini-USB port) orother proprietary connection types such as a 30-pin connector compatiblewith the Apple® iPad®. The connection port 713 may also be used tomatingly receive other mobile devices such as, for example a smartphone.A tablet unit 715 may slide vertically into the cradle 710 through anopening opposing the lower lip 714, and a connector on the tablet unit715 may be coupled to the connection port 713. Side lips 716 disposedadjacent to the lower lip 714 may provide structural support to thetablet unit 715 when the unit 715 is mounted in the cradle 710. Thetablet unit 715 may receive power and may transmit and receive data viathe connection port 713 as described above in references to FIGS. 2A-2Dand 8. In an exemplary embodiment, the cradle 710 may be embedded into aseat mold that is designed to replace the existing backseat mold of theseat 712. Due to the thin nature of most tablet units, the cradle 710may have a thin profile. For example, the cradle 710 may have athickness between about 0.25 inches and about 0.6 inches, however thethickness is not limited thereto.

In an exemplary embodiment, a media control box 900 may be mountedwithin the vehicle and some or all of the vehicle entertainment tabletunits 100 may be replaced with displays equipped with a BLUETOOTH radioor a Wi-Fi radio that utilizes WI-FI DIRECT transmission standards. Thedisplays may be mounted at the same locations and in the same manner asthe vehicle entertainment tablet units 100 as described above. The mediacontrol box 900 may be positioned in any convenient location in thevehicle such as, for example, overhead, under a seat, in a centerconsole, in a dashboard, in a trunk, in a headrest of a seat, or in aseat back of a seat. The media control box 900 may be connected to apower source of the vehicle, and may include, for example, a processor901 (e.g., a single core or multi-core processor), a memory 902 (e.g.,RAM), a graphics processing unit (GPU) 903, a storage device 904 (e.g.,flash memory, hard drive), a wireless transmitter 905, a wirelessreceiver 906, a global positioning system (GPS) radio 907, an internalor external media source 908, and/or a variety of connection ports, asshown in the block diagram in FIG. 9. The connection ports may include,but are not limited to, a USB port (e.g., a microUSB port or a mini-USBport), an HDMI port (e.g., a micro-HDMI port), an SD card slot (e.g., amicro-SD card slot, a mini-SD card slot, or a standard SD card slot),and an Ethernet port. The media control box 900 may communicate with thedisplays via a wireless connection (e.g., WI-FI Direct, Bluetooth), ormay be physically connected to the displays via wires. For example,wires connecting the media control box 900 to the displays may extendfrom the media control box 900 and through a seat back and headrestposts of a seat to connect to a display, in a manner similar to thepower wire(s) 801 and data wires 804 as described with reference to FIG.8. The media control box 900 may be used to transmit media to any of thedisplays, or any wireless enabled device in and around the vehicle. Inaddition, when the vehicle is within the range of a user's home network,the media control box 900 may connect to the home network via Wi-Fi tosync, transmit and/or receive media to and from devices in the user'shome. In an exemplary embodiment, rather than being embodied as astand-alone unit, the media control box 900 may be integrated with adisplay mounted in the vehicle.

In an exemplary embodiment, the media control box 900 may be permanentlymounted within a vehicle. Alternatively, the media control box 900 maybe a portable unit that can be moved between vehicles. The portableunit, for example, may mount and electrically connect to a dockingstation in a vehicle in a manner similar to the mounting of the vehicleentertainment tablet unit 100 into a cradle 201, as described withreference to FIGS. 2A-2D, 5-6, and 7A-7B.

In an exemplary embodiment, software installed on the vehicle tabletunit 100 or display may allow the vehicle entertainment tablet unit 100or display to communicate with the vehicle head unit and controlfunctions of the vehicle such as, for example, the vehicle's radio, GPSsystem, and/or air conditioning and heating system. Communication withthe vehicle head unit may be carried out via a wired connection or awireless connection, as described above.

Having described embodiments for a vehicle entertainment tablet unit andcradle, it is noted that modifications and variations can be made bypersons skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It istherefore to be understood that changes may be made in exemplaryembodiments of the disclosure, which are within the scope and spirit ofthe disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Having thus describedexemplary embodiments of the disclosure with the details andparticularity required by the patent laws, what is claimed and desiredprotected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicle entertainment system, comprising: atablet unit comprising a display and a touch screen input devicedisposed on a front surface, a first electrical connection, a firstmounting mechanism, and a wireless receiver, wherein the wirelessreceiver is configured to receive media data from a wireless network andthe touch screen input device is configured to receive input from auser; and a cradle configured to be connected to a headrest of a vehicleand comprising a second electrical connection and a second mountingmechanism, wherein the tablet unit is electrically connected to thecradle via the first and second electrical connections, and isphysically coupled to the cradle via the first and second mountingmechanisms upon mounting the tablet unit to the cradle, wherein thesecond mounting mechanism comprises a latch member and a release button,wherein the latch member is coupled to the first mounting mechanism andthe first electrical connection is electrically coupled to the secondelectrical connection upon mounting the tablet unit to the cradle,wherein the front surface of the tablet unit is substantially flush withthe outer surface of the headrest upon mounting the tablet unit to thecradle, wherein the first electrical connection and the first mountingmechanism are disposed on a rear surface of the tablet unit, and thesecond electrical connection is disposed on the rear surface of thecradle.
 2. The vehicle entertainment system of claim 1, wherein thetablet unit is a first tablet unit and the cradle is a first cradle, andthe first tablet unit is configured to share data with a second tabletunit mounted in and electrically connected to a second cradle via anelectrical connection made between the first and second cradles, whereinthe first and second cradles are located separate from each other in thevehicle.
 3. The vehicle entertainment system of claim 1, wherein thecradle comprises a rear surface and a lip extending outward from therear surface, a depth of the cradle is defined by a distance between therear surface and a portion of the lip furthest from the rear surface,and the depth is between about 0.25 inches and about 0.6 inches.
 4. Thevehicle entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the cradle is connectedto a power source in the vehicle and the tablet unit receives power fromthe cradle via the first and second electrical connections.
 5. Thevehicle entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the tablet unit furthercomprises a wireless transmitter configured to create a hotspot byassigning an Internet Protocol (IP) address to at least one wirelessenabled device via an 802.11 transmission standard.
 6. The vehicleentertainment system of claim 1, wherein the tablet unit furthercomprises: a storage device configured to store media data; and awireless transmitter configured to transmit the media data to at leastone wireless enabled device.
 7. The vehicle entertainment system ofclaim 1, further comprising: a first cover configured to cover the firstmounting mechanism; and a second cover configured to cover the firstelectrical connection.
 8. The vehicle entertainment system of claim 1,wherein the tablet unit is configured to control a vehicle head unit inthe vehicle using software installed on the tablet unit.
 9. A vehicleentertainment system, comprising: a tablet unit comprising a display anda touch screen input device disposed on a front surface, a firstelectrical connection, a first mounting mechanism, and a wirelessreceiver, wherein the wireless receiver is configured to receive mediadata from a wireless network and the touch screen input device isconfigured to receive input from a user; and a cradle configured to besecured to a seat in of a vehicle and comprising a second electricalconnection, a second mounting mechanism, and a latch member, wherein thetablet unit is electrically connected to the cradle via the first andsecond electrical connections, and is physically coupled to the cradlevia the first and second mounting mechanisms upon mounting the tabletunit to the cradle, wherein the first mounting mechanism and the firstelectrical connection are disposed near a same edge of the tablet unit,the second mounting mechanism and the second electrical connection aredisposed near a same lip of the cradle, and the latch member is disposedat a top portion of the cradle that is opposite to the lip, wherein,upon mounting the tablet unit to the cradle, the first and secondmounting mechanisms are physically coupled to each other, the first andsecond electrical connections are electrically coupled to each other,and the latch member engages the tablet unit at the top portion of thecradle that is opposite to the lip.
 10. The vehicle entertainment systemof claim 9, wherein the cradle is secured to a headrest of the seat. 11.The vehicle entertainment system of claim 9, wherein the front surfaceof the tablet unit is substantially flush with an outer surface of theheadrest upon mounting the tablet unit to the cradle.
 12. The vehicleentertainment system of claim 9, wherein the tablet unit is a firsttablet unit and the cradle is a first cradle, and the first tablet unitis configured to share data with a second tablet unit mounted in andelectrically connected to a second cradle via an electrical connectionmade between the first and second cradles, wherein the first and secondcradles are located separate from each other in the vehicle.
 13. Thevehicle entertainment system of claim 9, wherein the cradle comprises arear surface and the lip extending outward from the rear surface, adepth of the cradle is defined by a distance between the rear surfaceand a portion of the lip furthest from the rear surface, and the depthis between about 0.25 inches and about 0.6 inches.
 14. The vehicleentertainment system of claim 9, wherein the cradle is connected to apower source in the vehicle and the tablet unit receives power from thecradle via the first and second electrical connections.
 15. The vehicleentertainment system of claim 9, wherein the tablet unit is configuredto control a vehicle head unit in the vehicle using software installedon the tablet unit.
 16. A vehicle entertainment system, comprising: atablet unit comprising a display and a touch screen input devicedisposed on a front surface, a first electrical connection, a firstmounting mechanism, and a wireless receiver, wherein the wirelessreceiver is configured to receive media data from a wireless network andthe touch screen input device is configured to receive input from auser; and a cradle configured to be secured to a seat in of a vehicleand comprising a second electrical connection and a second mountingmechanism, wherein the tablet unit is electrically connected to thecradle via the first and second electrical connections, and isphysically coupled to the cradle via the first and second mountingmechanisms upon mounting the tablet unit to the cradle, wherein, uponmounting the tablet unit to the cradle, the first and second mountingmechanisms are physically coupled to each other, the first and secondelectrical connections are electrically coupled to each other, a rearsurface of the tablet unit contacts a rear surface of the cradle, andthe display is not covered by the cradle.
 17. The vehicle entertainmentsystem of claim 16, wherein, upon mounting the tablet unit to thecradle, an entirety of the rear surface of the tablet unit contacts therear surface of the cradle, and an entirety of the display is notcovered by the cradle.
 18. The vehicle entertainment system of claim 16,wherein the first mounting mechanism and the first electrical connectionare disposed near at least one edge of the tablet unit, and the secondmounting mechanism and the second electrical connection are disposednear at least one lip of the cradle.
 19. The vehicle entertainmentsystem of claim 16, wherein the cradle is secured to a headrest of theseat.
 20. The vehicle entertainment system of claim 19, wherein thefront surface of the tablet unit is substantially flush with an outersurface of the headrest upon mounting the tablet unit to the cradle.